Cure for the Ache
by Christine1827
Summary: It's hard being in love with your best friend. Especially when everyone knows but him and he comes over to watch movies since you have a cold. EdwardxBella
1. Part 1

**Cure for the Ache**

**Bella POV**

I blew my nose in yet another tissue. Having a cold sucked. I balled up the used tissue and shot for the wastebasket from my perch on my bed. Of course, I missed by a good two feet, etching a mental note to remember to put that in its rightful place once I was done with this chapter. There was one thing and only one thing that I liked about having a cold; it gave a geek like me an excuse to read all day.

After I finished chapter 13, my most favorite chapter in the entire book, I set down my hardback copy and remembered to chuck away my tissue. I groggily walked into the kitchen and pulled out a can of chicken noodle soup from the pantry. Setting the can on the table, I took a quick visit to the restroom.

I heard the door bell ring. A smile spread across my face instantly. I knew exactly who it was before I opened the door to his handsome face. Edward Cullen. My best friend who happened to be the hottest man on the planet was at the door. Wait, scratch that, Edward was the hottest guy in the universe.

"Hey, Beautiful," Edward greeted me as he walked in. Beautiful. That was the name he always called me. And in my position, it didn't help me at all.

"Hey, Handsome," I returned as he shimmied out of his tan leather jacket and threw it on the floor beside his sneakers.

I took a sharp intake of breathe as I realized what was under that jacket of his. He was wearing the emerald button down shirt I had gotten him for his birthday last year. June twentieth was his birthday and I knew it better than I knew my own. I had had no clue what to get him, so I got him a shirt he would look good in. He always looked God-like in dark green because it made his pale skin stick out with his emerald eyes popping even more so.

I couldn't just get him a button down either. I had to make it special. I mean he was my best friend, we have to have a little fun with birthdays don't we? So, of course, I had to add a little something to the shirt.

After purchasing the shirt I went to Edward's sister Alice for a little help with a sewing machine because if I did it myself, I would end up using my finger as thread. Alice, being my best girl friend in the whole wide world, (Edward and I were friends since ninth grade at that year Alice became part of the exchange student program and went to Britain. When Alice returned Edward introduced us and we have been best friends ever since) helped out gleefully.

That little pixie could work a sewing machine. She embroidered the picture that I found into the handcuff on his right arm perfectly. Now Edward had an emerald green shirt with the family crest on the fabric. Needless to say, I fell to the floor every time he wore it. It was his new favorite shirt that his _best friend_ had given him as he would tell anyone who asked where he got it.

"Alice and Jasper called. They said to be ready for a surprise on Wednesday." Edward said, trailing behind me as I walked into the kitchen to finish making my soup.

"Just like Alice to bring home a surprise from her honeymoon. She knows just as well as you do that I hate surprises." I grimaced as I searched for the can opener. Alice and Jasper had just married and went to Hawaii for their honeymoon and were due back in two days.

Edward chuckled and took the can opener from my hands. "You're sick. I can at least help you out somehow." Edward poured the soup into a pot and put it on the stove as I sat down in a wooden chair at the table.

"It's just a cold. I'm not helpless." I pouted, amusing Edward from the sound of his laughter.

"I know. Just take it as I am keeping you safe." Edward smiled his crooked smile that I loved so much.

I didn't get it. "Keeping me safe?"

"This thing has sharp edges, Bells" Edward teased. To say I was accident prone was an understatement. I could trip on air—never mind, I _did _trip on air…frequently.

"Ha-ha. You should be a comedian." I said flatly, not letting up my pout.

"Take it easy, Bells." Edward walked over and kissed the top of my forehead. I turned away so he couldn't see how big I was grinning or how hot my cheeks were. He had absolutely no idea how he affected me.

He put his hands on the edge of the table and leaned his back against the edge so he could still see if he accidentally ended up messing up the soup. Edward may be handsome, but I was the cook. Yet, I don't know how I could be with how many sharp objects that entailed.

Once the red had gone down I let myself look at him again. He was looking directly at me. He was _melting _me into a puddle. _Bring on the mop and pail._

We held gazes for too short of a moment for my taste before he turned away to stir the soup. "So what are you're plans for the day?" Edward asked casually. Nice to know he affected me so greatly, yet I didn't faze him in the least bit.

"I'll probably end up reading some more and watching movies. You?" I replied.

"Nothing at all. Work holiday since they are replacing the tile." Edward worked at an office downtown where he handled something with the stock market. It was all too complicated and boring for me to understand.

"Wanna stay here to 'take care of me' so I won't be so bored?" I asked, putting air quotes around his words which he rolled his eyes.

"Sure, Bells. But no The Notebook this time. You'll get mad at me all over again if I laugh at all your blubbering!" He smirked. The Notebook was one of my favorite movies.

"Eh, you know you want to cry, too. Guys are just afraid to expose their vulnerable side." I giggled at my own words. Gosh, I was a geek. Maybe that was why I worked as an editor for science fiction and fantasy books.

"Sure. I'll let you believe that." He winked at me as he put my soup in a bowl in front of me. "Eat up. I wanna pop some popcorn."

"Extra butter!" I said, remembering to swallow before I spoke so I wouldn't embarrass myself more than necessary.

"You don't even have to remind me anymore." I could hear the smile in his voice as he chucked the bag of kernels into the microwave.

After I finished my soup and Edward had already vacuumed down half of the popcorn, we walked into the living room. I set a tissue box on the coffee table even though my cold was a little better because of the DayQuil I had just swallowed. Edward plopped down as I grabbed a DVD. I scanned over my DVD collection and found the perfect movie. He only said, I quote, "No The Notebook this time."

I popped in the DVD and hit play with a smirk planted firmly on my face. Once the movie started, I laughed as Edward groaned and threw his head back against the couch. "You only said no The Notebook, last time I checked this was Titanic!" I teased him. Two could play at his little smart-aleck game.

I sat down on the couch and swung my legs into his lap. He put the popcorn on the coffee table and started moving his fingers in little circles against the creamy skin above my ankles. Yep, he had no idea how big of an affect he had on me.


	2. Part 2

**Cure for the Ache—Part Two**

Edward continued tracing circles on my leg with his feather-light touch as I tried my hardest to concentrate on the movie. I absolutely loved this movie to death, and I never got tired of it. Yet, this one guy could make me loose focus completely.

I bit my lip as I felt his hand slide up a little further. He was now just under my knee. This was a totally innocent thing, but his touches made me feel like a love struck thirteen year old girl. I was twenty-four, so the latter wasn't correct, but I wasn't so sure that the former was false entirely.

I was inches away from clasping my hands together and praying to the heavens when the phone rang. Maybe this was my short little escape form embarrassing myself entirely in front of Edward. Getting off the couch, I retrieved the phone from its cradle. I smiled when I read the caller ID.

"Hello, my little pixie!" I answered into the phone, my smile changing into a full-on grin when I heard Edward's chuckle. I guess he paused the movie since I answered the phone; he was such a gentleman.

"Hey, Klutz!" Alice giggled, "And how am I yours when I just married the love of my life?"

"Eh, Jasper is scrawny enough. I think I could take him." I tried to keep my tranquility so I at least sounded semi-serious, but I broke out in a fit of giggles.

Alice scoffed over the phone. "I'm gonna get you for that, Mrs. Cullen!" Alice referred to her constant dream of Edward and me actually getting together. Sometimes I regretted telling her about my infatuation with her adoptive brother. By now her adoptive mother Esme and adoptive father Carslie knew, too. Not that that was way too bad of a thing, but it could make a few conversations awkward. Alice and Edward were both adopted by Esme and Carslie when they were young. Alice met Jasper three years ago and poof!

I sighed. "You know that is not going to happen Alice," I walked into my bedroom before I added this next part to my explanation, "and could you please refrain from saying stuff like that when you know that he is with me?"

"Who cares, Bells!" I could picture her throwing her hands up in the air. "I still don't know why you just don't come out and tell him. It's not like your coming out of the homosexuality closet or anything."

I couldn't help but laugh at her analogy. "I can't loose him Alice, how many times do I have to tell you that? I can't risk it!"

She made a frustrated 'humph'. "I know, I know! Bells, if your friendship is that strong, not even this could tear you apart."

I sighed. Alice was right, but could I really take a chance like that? "Okay, Alice. I'll see you when you get back."

"It'll all play out right, Klutz." Alice said reassuringly.

"Love you like a sis. Call me tomorrow!" I wanted to get off this phone call. All it was doing was reminding me of how hopeless my situation was.

"You too and I will." Alice clicked off and so did I.

Walking back into the living room, I put the phone back. "Alice?" Edward wondered as I sat back down.

"Yeah." I answered. Edward reached for the remote and pressed play so Jack wasn't frozen on the screen anymore. When he put the remote back onto the coffee table, he threw his arm against the back of the couch. From where I was sitting, his hand was just barely resting on my right shoulder, but it gave me pleasant chills all the same.

**Edward&Bella**

My eyes fluttered open. Crap, I fell asleep on Edward. Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I fell asleep _on_ Edward. My head was in his lap and my eyes opened to see the emerald green of his shirt.

"Morning, Beautiful." Edward greeted. There it goes again, _beautiful._ I guess he saw my eyes open, but I didn't wanna move just yet. I was way too comfortable.

"I slept all night? In your lap?" I asked.

"Nah. Just an hour. I looked to see if you were balling your eyes out and turns out you were asleep." He sent a charming smile down to me that suddenly made me glad that I wasn't standing. Otherwise, my knees would have failed me.

"Then how did I end up in your lap?" I spoke the question that was swimming around in my head.

"I guess you're just genuinely attracted to me!" Edward joked. He winked like his normal self.

"Smartass…" I mumbled as I lifted my head out of his lap to sit cross legged on the couch facing him. "So I missed my favorite part?" I couldn't help it. My favorite part was when Jack sinks like an adorable little Popsicle. It might be the saddest part, but I loved it.

"Yeah. I was thinking about waking you, but you were amusing me." Edward had a look on his face that belonged on a teenager. He knew something that I didn't and it was pretty darn funny to him.

"What? Amusing you?" His grin spread even more, "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! You better tell me this second or else I swear…" I trailed off for lack of a threat.

"Or else you will what?" He taunted.

Damn him. He knew I couldn't think of anything. "Or else I'll… um; I will make you sit through The Notebook tonight!" There it was. I was brilliant; even though I had absolutely no clue how to enforce my threat.

"I would like to see you try, Miss Swan!" He remained calm and shot me a look that purely said 'bring it on'.

I raised my eyebrows at him, accepting his challenge. "I think I may need the shackles."

"Maybe." He answered.

"Oh, so now you think you are tough?" I teased.

"I don't think, baby. I know!" He fired right back. I lunged at him. Sitting right on top of his lap and caging him against the back of the couch by putting an arm beside each one of his shoulders.

We both stopped. My face was inches from his, and to a third party observer, this didn't look so innocent. I could feel his sweet breath sweeping across my cheeks and there was no doubt that he could feel mine. We were super close. I kept repeating a saying to my self over and over in my head '_He is your best friend. You should not be feeling this_'

But I couldn't help it. I don't think there was _anyone_ in the universe that was immune to Edward Cullen. He just had the ability to dazzle people. And that was using the word _dazzle_ lightly. He could melt you into a puddle in less than a second.

"Uh, Edward?" I asked. We had both been silent, registering the closeness.

"Don't. Please. Just…give me a moment." Was his strangled reply. What the hell was going on between us?


End file.
